Hojung and I met on the bus from Busan to Masan, I was returning from China and it had been a loooong day. After a week of being stuck in Shanghai, then a night of rockstar partying in Seoul, and 4 hours on a train with an old Korean man belching, coughing, hacking, and spitting lugies besides me I was done. I exited the train at Busan station and realized I had to get on the subway, and switch trains twice *sigh*. I finally managed to maneuver the city (with a 40 pound backpackers pack) and was on the bus to Masan. I had placed my overly large pack in the seat next to me and deposited myself next to the window. I had my book open and for the first time that day I was feeling like maybe I wouldn't pop off someone's head.
Until Hojung arrived in my life.
When I got on the bus I noticed a young guy staring at me intently, and then after I sat down., from the corner of my eye, I saw that same young guy hop up suddenly and move to the seat directly across the aisle from me. I sighed internally thinking "If you speak to me I swear to god I will murder you." Sure enough, after about a minute of staring at me awkwardly from across the aisle and around the pack Hojung made his move, "Can you speak at me for minutes?" I grimaced internally, carefully laid my book down and peered at him imperiously from over my pack. "Sure" I said, stupid move number one.
Well we got to talking and I realized that Hojung didn't speak much English (this should have been apparent from our first encounter at speaking but silly ol' me just had to give him the benefit of the doubt). Well trying to make things look rosy and golden I just convinced myself that I was practicing my korean, which I was, but that's beside the point. The drive from Busan to Masan is roughly 45 minutes by bus, which goes quickly if you are reading, but surprisingly quicker if you are attempting to communicate with someone.
We finally pulled into Masan station, and like the good Korean that he is, Hojung asked me if I had eaten, "Mogosayo?" I responded that no, I hadn't, he replied by inviting me out, and I accepted, stupid move number two. He asked me where I wanted to go, I looked at him incredulously, and very slowly informed him that I needed to take my pack home but that if he gave me his number I would call him when I got home and meet up with him later. So I went home, took a shower and put on some clothes that hadn't been rumpled up in my sweaty pack for a week and went back out to meet Hojung.
We had dinner at a lovely little restaurant that serves Samgyeupsal (pork belly) and we had a few beers and talked some more, it was lovely, really, but it should have ended there. BUT because he's Korean we just had to go out to a bar, and I accepted, stupid move number three (and quite possibly the stupidest of them all). Well we arrived in the bar and ordered some beers and began drinking, except that the bar he had chosen was REALLY loud, dark, and filled with flashing disco lights. Which I can assure you isn't conducive to a pair of people that can barely communicate with one another in a silent restaurant! After trying to start some conversation I finally gave up and began just drinking beer. I would stare across the table at him, and he would smile, and then look away, then I would look away, only to look back and see him staring at me. The whole time i'm thinking "Why did I allow myself to get into this incredibly awkward situation??" There was a group of young Korean men getting sufficiently drunk at the table next to us and they kept throwing glances at us as if we were freaks or something. Finally after about an hour of drinking beer and awkwardly glancing at one another I informed Hojung that I needed to go because I had to work the next day (a lie yes, but if you'd been there you'd have understood the necessity) so we paid and departed.
While we were standing at the bus stop, me waiting for the 710 and him waiting for the 256 he suddenly turned to me and asked "How do you feel about sex?" I choked on my spit. When I found my voice again I asked him what he meant by that, he responded "You look beautiful so I thought I would like to hug you." I looked down and pretended to scratch my nose to cover the smile on my face, it was just too awkward to maintain a straight face! As I was looking down Hojung made a move, he stepped forward just a little and when I looked up to see what he was doing he attempted to swoop in for the kiss. I (of course) backed up and tripped off the curb, I whipped around to make sure I wasn't going to get hit by a speeding bus (totally possible) and realized that there was indeed one bus directly behind me with the doors open, veritably inviting me in. I stumbled forward and grabbed the handle, turned to look at Hojung and said, "My bus! See you later!" smiled, and bolted up the stairs. I paid for my fare, and requested the next stop off, departed the bus, and waited for the appropriate bus to arrive so that I could go home.
Well, for some oddly stupid reason i've agreed to see Hojung again at a coffee shop near my home and then to go to Korean classes afterward on Wednesday (can someone please explain WHY i'm stupid enough to agree to see this lunatic kisser again??). I'll keep you updated on my exploits as they develop further.
Aneyong!
No comments:
Post a Comment